Christmakkah

Sara Bradecich

Every year, Christmas falls on the 25th of December. On the Hebrew calendar, Hanukkah is always on the 25th day of Kislev following a lunar pattern based on the moon. But on our calendar, this date jumps around from year to year—anywhere from late November to December. The last time the first night of Hanukkah lined up with Christmas day was in 2005. This year, 19 years later, it will happen again. So how can both be celebrated and appreciated at once?

Christmas, the remembrance of the birth of Jesus Christ, is celebrated by many groups, like Christians, Catholics and Buddhists, and therefore, is celebrated in many different ways such as gift giving with family and friends, or watching festive movies together. Hanukkah is celebrated to honor the Jewish miracle that a small amount of oil (enough for only one day!) kept a temple’s menorah lit for a whole eight days. This represents the resilience of Jewish people in the face of oppression and religious intolerance. 

I am one of the lucky ones who’s always celebrated both holidays because my mom is Jewish and my dad was raised Christian. Taking part in both holidays has always been a very important part of my life because it allowed me to see religion from various perspectives and connect different aspects to my life. I’m also fortunate to have parents that  give me freedom in how I want to celebrate different parts of my religion and culture. Though I don't go to temple or church very often, celebrating these holidays makes me feel like part of a community, and celebrating both Christmas and Hanukkah has made me feel connected to many people from many different religious backgrounds! 

So this holiday season, regardless of whatever or however you do or don't celebrate, remember to embrace and accept our different ways of celebrating. Let’s spread the love this season!